A new and interesting development in the field of potential global warming solutions has arisen: a molecule that eats carbon dioxide has been found. A University of Maryland scientist doing research unrelated to global warming made the discovery as he noted that a newly created bowl-shaped molecule was collecting carbon dioxide that was present in the room.
The implications of this discovery are potentially huge. This carbon 'scrubbing' molecule may be used in industrial processes to remove CO2 from smoke stacks, or it could potentially be used to simply remove CO2 from the atmosphere.
One interesting implication of this discovery is that it demonstrates the power of science and innovation. A big reason that Carbonfund.org is a big supporter of global warming solutions is because that encourages innovation.
Global warming is potentially the greatest crisis that has ever faced mankind, but with great crisis comes great opportunity. Who knows what will happen when we raise fuel standards -- maybe we will accidentally discover a way to make cars go significantly farther on a gallon of gas or discover an algae based biofuel that is cheap and clean. Or maybe there will be a break through in solar technology that enables us to turn every roof into a power generating machine.
In short, who knows? If a scientist in Maryland can accidently discover a molecule that eats CO2, anything can happen. Although it's too early to determine the future outcomes of this. Let's continue to provide the motivation and impetus to act and innovate.

CarbonFree® Partner Forever Cheese specializes in providing the best of the Mediterranean, including fine cheeses, honey, olive oil, jam, nuts, and chocolate. Located in Long Island City, NY, Forever Cheese's founder Michele Buster personally hand selects each artisan product directly from their suppliers in Italy, Spain, & Portugal. Featuring such famous brands as Drunken Goat®, Naked Goat® and Italfine, Forever Cheese has also launched its own brand to unify its product line called Mitica®.
In addition to offering the most unique and high quality specialty products from the Mediterranean area, Forever Cheese offsets its corporate and shipping emissions with Carbonfund.org. Forever Cheese has gone above and beyond and offset more than its footprint due to their dedication to fighting climate change. Their support is the equivalent to the CO2 offset from the electricity use of 139 homes for one year, the carbon sequestered by nearly 26,000 tree seedlings grown for 10 years, or the CO2 emissions from over 113,000 gallons of gasoline consumed. The majority of their donation supports domestic wind power, with solar being a close second.
To learn more about Forever Cheese and their unique Mediterranean product offerings, please visit their website at Forever Cheese.

Language Fusion is committed to providing outstanding language services in a socially and environmentally responsible manner. They have made a large effort to reduce their footprint by choosing an office space that is centrally located so their employees can get to the office by foot, bike or public transportation. They also recycle and reuse ink and toner, use paperless faxing and scanning, and even have a corporate bike that employees can use to go to lunch and run errands.
A CarbonFree® Small Business Partner since 2008, Language Fusion provides rapid, on-demand, quality, affordable translation & interpretation services to corporate, medical, legal, non-profit, NGO and governmental organizations across the United States and Canada and offer services in over 150 different languages including American Sign. Through their partnership with us they are offsetting not only the carbon emissions associated with their business operations but also all of the emissions resulting from hundreds of their interpreters driving many miles a day in service of their clients. For more information, please visit them at www.languagefusion.us.

Global Basecamps, one of our CarbonFree® partners, helps travelers set up trips that both maximize their experience and minimize the environmental impact of their travels. They are also preparing to launch a great new initiative that will help their customers to continue to reduce their carbon footprint through recycling.

Recently, Global Basecamps joined the International Mountain Explorers Connection. IMEC works to ensure equitable treatment for porters and guides on trekking and climbing routes on three continents. Global Basecamps also works closely with the Kilimanjaro Porters Assistance Program to help ensure that proper gear, wages and sleeping conditions are met by tour companies working on the mountain. As a part of this program, Global Basecamps will be working with their clients to recycle their used trekking gear with the Porters Alliance. You can read more about Global Basecamp’s involvement with IMEC and the Porter’s Assitance Project by clicking here. We commend Global Basecamps for their commitment to sustainability and to reducing what they can!

US News editor and Alpha Consumer blogger, Kimberly Palmer asked, Are Eco-Resorts Really Green? Initially skeptical, she wades through greenwash and finds real eco-friendly tourist destinations, among them Carbonfund.org partners. She mentions for example EcoTour Adventures in Jackson Hole, Wyoming and Craftsman B&B on the pacific coast of Oregon who are committed to sustainability.
When evaluating the green claims of any business, you can look for these signs:
1. They express their environmental commitment on their website or materials;
2. They are transparent about what they have done to reduce what they can or offset what they can't;
3. If you need more info, the contact person is familiar with and clear about their business' efforts.
Getting green is crucial for the tourism industry. As a reminder, check out this article from the BBC yesterday that reports that the Caribbean region is among the regions said by scientists to be most at risk from the effects of global warming. Coral reefs face collapse from global warming and dealing with extreme weather is expected to cost $5 billion. Add that to the expected loss of $4 billion in travel revenue, the vacation in the Carribean in many people's dreams might, if the world doesn't take action pass into legend.
We all have a carbon footprint. Take responsibility for yours now. Learn more about how you can reduce and offset your footprint on our website.

From paint to bedding, I am always looking for greener products to use in my home. Sometimes, however, the search for environmentally friendly household product can be overwhelming. That’s why I was thrilled to find HealthyHome’s website. Founded in 1993, HealthyHome is one of the oldest providers of green products in the country and one of the first to offer them online. They are a privately held company dedicated to sustainability, energy efficiency, and lower environmental impacts from the products they sell.
They offer green paints, stains and coatings, flooring, lighting, beds and bedding, cleaning supplies, garden and outdoor products, air and water filtration systems and many other products. Each product they sell meets their high standards for sustainability, safety, efficiency, low carbon footprint, and economy. They are continually searching for new products that help their customers live, build and renovate greener.
HealthyHome is partnering with us to offset their own carbon footprint as well as all customer shipping by supporting a combination of renewable energy, energy efficiency and reforestation projects. To learn more (or go shopping) please visit: www.healthyhome.com

When Allegheny Contract Flooring joined our CarbonFree® Business Program in 2008 they pledged to “reduce, reduce, reduce” and they have taken significant steps to do just that. Through their Office of Sustainability they are working to rapidly transform their own operations to be sustainable and kind to the environment.
Perhaps the most impressive achievement is their Zero Waste to Landfill Policy. To date, they have recycled more than 3,000,000 pounds of broadloom and carpet tile. Considering construction and demolition debris comprises about 40 percent of the solid waste stream this is an extremely important strategy. Where practical, some of this reclaimed material is restored and donated to charitable and other not for profit organizations, some is reused in the carpet manufacturing process, and some finds new life in the form of such disparate items as park benches, automobile accessories and curb blocks. None of it is disposed of in landfills. None of it is burned in incinerators. 100% is recycled.
Allegheny Contract Flooring is New England’s largest commercial flooring company. The company was founded in 1945 and has been owned by the Auditore family ever since. Daniel and James Auditore took over ownership of the company in 2005 with the goal of not only being New England’s largest but also New England’s greenest commercial flooring company. Allegheny is offsetting their corporate footprint by supporting renewable energy, energy efficiency and reforestation projects. For more information, please visit www.alleghenycontract.com.

NBS was recently certified as a Green Business by the City/County of San Francisco and the Association of Bay Area Governments (ABAG). The Bay Area Green Business Program verifies that businesses meet higher standards of environmental performance. They work with government agencies and utilities to help local businesses comply with all environmental regulations and take actions to conserve resources, prevent pollution, and minimize waste. To receive this distinction NBS is “raising the bar” on recycling, with more aggressive office recycling programs that include recycling bins at each desk, only one garbage can per suite and composting all paper towels. They are also purchasing recycled and certified paper products, recycling old computer and electronic items and using online conferencing technology to reduce their travel.
A CarbonFree® Partner since 2007, NBS provides consulting, services and software to local governmental agencies in California and across the United States. NBS assists such agencies with sound advice and consulting related to the use of special financing districts, rates and fees, cost allocation plans, fiscal impacts, and other fiscal and revenue mechanisms. Please visit www.nbsgov.com for more information.